By Maria Martinez
BERLIN, Feb 16 (Reuters) – German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on Monday the European Union was at a turning point in which countries should not hide behind national interests but accelerate progress to strengthen EU influence and sovereignty.
“We want to cut through knots, we want to find solutions always with the goal of strengthening Europe’s sovereignty and making Europe strong,” Klingbeil said in Brussels. “This is a very European moment.”
Speaking before a meeting of EU finance ministers, he said Germany was ready to make compromises. “The pace we have today at the European level is not commensurate with the challenges we face as Europe.”
EU6 FORMAT TO ACCELERATE DECISION-MAKING
Six big EU economies – Poland, Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands – have vowed to advance projects stalled by the EU’s complex decision-making process at a time of geopolitical upheaval.
The group had its first video conference of finance and economy ministers at the end of January, after U.S. President Donald Trump made clear his ambition to take over Greenland from Denmark, a NATO ally and EU member. On Monday the “EU6” met again, on the sidelines of the Eurogroup meeting.
“I believe what happened at the beginning of the year with Greenland woke up everyone who cares about Europe, and it is leading to the fact that we are not getting bogged down in national interests or hiding behind them, but ready to make compromises,” Klingbeil said.
This meeting focused on two areas for action: accelerating progress toward an EU Savings and Investment Union and strengthening the resilience of supply chains for critical raw materials, a spokesperson for Klingbeil’s ministry said.
The next EU6 meeting is planned for March 9-10 and will focus on strengthening the euro’s international role and making defence investment more efficient, the spokesperson said.
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(Reporting by Maria Martinez; Editing by Matthias Williams and Kevin Liffey)